What is childhood disintegrative disorder?

Childhood disintegrative disorder (CDD) is a developmental disorder characterized by a loss of thinking, communication, and language skills that occurs sometime between 2 and 4 years of age. Normal development is seen until then.

The cause of childhood disintegrative disorder is not known. Symptoms include poor social skills, lack of bowel and bladder control, impaired language and motor skills, and difficulties developing relationships. CDD belongs to the group of disorders called autism spectrum disorders (ASDs).

The condition affects girls and boys in equal numbers. More research is needed to find out how many children are affected by childhood disintegrative disorder. But it is considered to occur much less frequently than autism.